Office of the State Traffic Administration
The Connecticut Department of Transportation’s Office of the State Traffic Administration (OSTA) promulgates regulations establishing a uniform system of traffic control signals, devices, signs, and markings for public highways/roadways in the State of Connecticut. The OSTA also adopts additional regulations in cooperation and agreement with local traffic authorities governing the use of state owned and maintained highways/roadways.

Frequently Asked Questions

Are municipalities limited to 1 RSA?

Municipalities were permitted to submit more than one application, but it was suggested to apply for the areas of most concern, and prioritize the applications from most important to least. CTDOT received a significant response to the program. The application deadline was March 1, 2016, and the Department received 125 applications from 81 municipalities. The Department is currently working to establish a schedule for conducting one RSA in each community. RSA’s will be conducted through the spring of 2017.

Do you have consultants on-board to perform the audits?

The CTDOT has entered into an Agreement with the consultant firm AECOM to assist with conducting the RSA’s.

Does this mean CTDOT will coordinate the RSAs for selected municipalities?

Yes, we will coordinate the RSA’s with the selected municipalities and tailor the RSA to their application.

How long will an individual RSA take?

The complete RSA process will take a municipality approximately a few months. It may take a couple of weeks to build an independent multidisciplinary team (IMT). CTDOT’s team will coordinate with the municipality on dates, locations, and data that will be available. The day of the RSA will take one day to perform. It may take a few weeks to develop a draft/finalized report for the municipality.

What is the Composition and source of the “independent multidisciplinary team (IMT)” ?

The IMT is composed by the participation of local/public safety professionals is critical to the outcome of the audit. It is up to the municipality to build their team with CTDOT’s assistance. Local officials know their municipalities the best and need to be involved in any discussions on how to improve safety in the area. For example, Public Works Directors, Town Engineers, Town Planners, Traffic Engineers, Police Chiefs, Fire Chiefs, School Administrators, and Mail Carriers all have important input to this process. The decision is location-specific, for example, a crossing guard may have important input if the location is near a school. The Department encourages the municipalities to work with their Metropolitan Planning Organizations and Councils of Governments.

What if I missed the application deadline, but my municipality has a safety concern?

For municipalities who missed the application closing date of March 1, 2016 but have an immediate need for a RSA based on a safety concern, please contact CTDOT’s Program Manager, Mr. Patrick Zapatka, at (860) 594-2047 or Patrick.zapatka@ct.gov. CTDOT will work with you on options, including a possible referral to the Connecticut Technology Transfer Center – Safety Circuit Rider Program.

Is (my project) eligible for CCGP funding?

A project would be eligible if the application demonstrates that it meets the intent of the Community
Connectivity Program by improving conditions for walking and biking to and within community centers.
It should be noted that this is a competitive grant program with limited funding and not every project
can be funded. Therefore applications that show a project clearly supports the goal of the Community
Connectivity Program will understandably score higher in the ranking process.

The CCGP is not intended to provide funding for general maintenance activities or roadway
infrastructure improvements. These projects should seek funding under another source.

Is it permissible under the CCGP to utilize Municipal forces for construction?

The CCGP is not necessarily geared for construction to be performed by Municipal forces (Force Account
Construction) but this method is acceptable. Additional documentation reflecting the expenditures may
be required in the form of certified payrolls and or wage rate documentation. Such additional
requirements will be coordinated among the Department and municipality.

What are the requirements for the estimate that must be submitted with the CCGP Application and at what percentage are contingencies and incidentals eligible?

Estimates should reflect that the municipality has reasonable confidence that the project can be
constructed within the requested amount, and that major item costs are realistic based on CTDOT’s
experience with unit prices and or projects of similar size and scope. The Department will provide an
estimate template for applicants to use and applicants are encouraged to use CTDOT’s estimating
guidelines or similar local methods.

Contingencies and incidentals can be included as a percentage of the expected project cost but it is
suggested that these costs be limited to a maximum of 10% each.

The program specifies the dollar value limits for eligible projects. If a Community is interested in pursuing a project of greater value than $ 400,000, is it permissible to have the Community provide written commitment to fund the balance and still have the project be eligible under the program?

No, the intent of the CCGP is to fund standalone projects that fit into the $75,000-$400,000 range of the
Program that can make an impact in the community in a relatively short timeframe. If a project is bid
and costs exceed the Program cap, the municipality will be responsible for committing funds to make up
the difference. The CCGP can be used to fund a separate phase of a larger project only if it can be shown
to be financially tracked, managed, and completed as a stand-alone project and has independent utility.

Do towns have to do a design themselves or utilize funds outside of the CCGP to hire a consultant to do the design?

Yes, the Town would be responsible for funding the design of the project, whether done in-house or by a
Consultant. The CCGP grants are for construction funds only and funds cannot be used for any design
work.

What qualifies as “pedestrian wayfinding signs” vs other wayfinding signs?

The Departments guidance with respect to signage comes from the MUTCD, which defines pedestrian
wayfinding signage as:
MUTCD Section 2D.50 Community Wayfinding Signs
(10) Pedestrian wayfinding signs typically use smaller legends that are inadequately sized for viewing by
vehicular traffic and because they can provide direction to pedestrians that might conflict with that
appropriate for vehicular traffic, wayfinding signs designed for and intended to provide direction to
pedestrians or other users of a sidewalk or other roadside area should be located to minimize their
conspicuity to vehicular traffic. Such signs should be located as far as practical from the street, such as at
the far edge of the sidewalk. Where locating such signs farther from the roadway is not practical, the
pedestrian wayfinding signs should have their conspicuity to vehicular traffic minimized by employing one
or a combination of the following methods:

Locating signs away from intersections where high-priority traffic control devices are present.

Facing the pedestrian message toward the sidewalk and away from the street.

Cantilevering the sign over the sidewalk if the pedestrian wayfinding sign is mounted at a height
consistent with vehicular traffic signs, removing the pedestrian wayfinding signs from the line of
sight in a sequence of vehicular signs.

(11)To further minimize their conspicuity to vehicular traffic during nighttime conditions, pedestrian
wayfinding signs should not be retroreflective

What information is required to be submitted by the application closing date?

Documentation required to be submitted by the closing date of August 1st includes the following:
1. Completed program application
2. Signed “Endorsement and Recommendation of Project by the Municipality” form (Included in
Application)
3. Program Preliminary Cost Estimate (Blank estimate is provided on website)
4. Any of the following that may apply and are available:
o Site Location Map
o Property Boundary Map
o Project Plans / Concept Plans / Renderings
o Proposed project schedule and duration of project
o Environmental site assessments